Chile Overview

From driest desert to Tierra del Fuego, with wineries, volcanoes and Patagonia in between...

From north to south, the 15 regions of Chile occupy some 2,600 miles of land, while the distance from its Pacific coast to the Andes is just 40 miles at its narrowest point. You’d expect a country that long to pack a lot in, and Chile does just that, enabling visitors to surf sand dunes, ski award-winning slopes, climb volcanoes and hike glaciers without leaving its borders. 

Possibly one of South America’s most ‘European’ countries in feel, Chile is home to the Mapuche Indian as well as to settlers from Germany, Italy, Spain and Scotland, among many others. Over 2000 miles out in the Pacific Ocean en route to New Zealand, Easter Island is more Polynesian than Latin.

Flying north of the capital, Santiago, you’ll find the dramatic lunar landscape of the Atacama desert, while a few hours’ south of the city by internal flight lies the Lake District, with its chocolate-box pretty scenery. Most visitors will want to head further south still to Torres del Paine National Park, where a handful of lodge hotels are scattered across a pristine and wild expanse of UNESCO protected land. Much less visited, due to its sheer remoteness, is the Chilean territory of Easter Island, where more than 900 giant monolithic statues keep watch over we know not what.

Around Santiago lie the wineries, the ski slopes and some of the most interesting coastal towns, so we will likely recommend several days in this region before you head to the airport and explore the country from tip to toe.  But transportation isn’t all airborne: in and around the Lake District, the stunning Carretera Austral road lends itself perfectly to some exhilarating self-drive routes, while cruises through the fjords and past the glaciers of Patagonia are also highly recommended.

If you have the time, you could consider a trip beginning in Santiago and ending in Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires. There are several points at which it is possible to cross the Andes between the two countries, either by road and boat through the mountains and lakes, or on a specialist cruise at the very southern tip of Patagonia.

What to expect from your holiday to Chile: As is the case in Argentina, exploring Chile requires several internal flights. The national carrier LAN is excellent and once on the ground, you’ll find good roads and comfortable, welcoming hotels. If you’re combining the two countries, be aware that there is fierce rivalry between Chileans and Argentinians so be prepared to say that you prefer their country to their neighbour!

Chile has long been one of the most economically and, since the departure of Pinochet, politically stable countries in the region, but the popularity of the current President, Pinera, has declined dramatically since its peak around the time of the rescue of the miners.